The present invention relates to data processing by digital computer, and more particularly to assigning tangible assets to workplaces.
Tangible assets are often assigned to users, such as employees of an organization. Typically, information about the availability, in place and time, of assets that are (to be) assigned to users is gathered manually from different sources, such as spreadsheets.
A disadvantage of this process is that it leads to inefficient use of resources, since often the information is not up-to-date, insufficient or otherwise unreliable. This can lead to a mismatch between the demand for assets and the availability of assets. Accordingly, part of an inventory is unnecessarily left unused or assets required to equip a workplace are not available in the inventory. The latter results in a user having to wait some time before the lacking assets are provided, and therefore not being able to perform his function, and thus results in a reduced use of the assets that are present at the workplace. Also, due to the unreliable information, assets will be transported from one location to another, while at the receiving location the concerning assets are already present. Thus, the process requires a relatively large amount of transport, and accordingly, energy, and leads to an inefficient use of resources.